Councillors
On 13 September 2008 Local Government Elections were held across NSW. Enrolled residents and ratepayers of Hornsby Shire voted to elect a Mayor and Councillors to be appointed for the next Council term until 2012.
A register of declarations by Councillors of disclosures of political donations is maintained by the Election Funding Authority. This information is provided in accordance with Section 328A of the Local Government Act and as advised by the NSW Department of Local Government.
Hornsby Shire Council has a total of 10 Councillors, which includes the Mayor and nine other Councillors - three Councillors elected from each of three Wards.
For more information about each Councillor, download the following publications:
Mayor
Nick Berman
Address: c/- Hornsby Shire Council, PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630
Phone: (02) 9847 6603
Fax: (02) 9847 6909
Email: nberman@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Nick Berman was first elected to Hornsby Shire Council as a B ward representative in September 1999. He has since been re-elected in 2004 and 2008.
He has worked at all levels of government and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with majors in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management.
Nick has lived most of his life in the northern suburbs of Sydney and has always had an active interest in sport. Nick and his wife, Christine, chose to live in Hornsby because of the quality of life the Bushland Shire offers local families.
Achievements on Council with which Nick has been associated include the widening of the Duffy Avenue Bridge, the construction of the Thornleigh Indoor Sports Centre and various local commercial developments.
Nick’s priorities for this term include: raising Hornsby Shire’s sustainability standards even further; creating more local employment opportunities; redeveloping childcare centres in Cherrybrook and Asquith; progressing Berowra Aquatic Centre; and further improving local parks and playing fields.
Deputy Mayor
Cr Mick Smart
Address: c/- Hornsby Shire Council, PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630
Phone: (02) 9847 6666
Mobile: 0428 645 709
Fax: (02) 9847 6909
Email: msmart@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Mick Smart has lived in the Hornsby Shire for the over 18 years. He and his wife, Helen, live in Berowra Heights with their two sons. Mick has run Berowra’s Pool Shop since 2001 and has been an active member of Apex. In recent years he has been involved in the running of the Berowra Woodchop, one of the shire’s major annual events.
Mick chose to run for Council to improve facilities within the shire. He is looking to work with residents and Council to develop real solutions to the community’s problems. He believes it is possible to make achievable goals and see them through. Mick believes his experience in the Pool Industry will be of great benefit in seeing Council deliver a pool for Berowra.
Ward A
Ward A suburbs include Arcadia, Asquith*, Berrilee, Berowra, Brooklyn, Canoelands, Castle Hill*, Cowan, Dangar Island, Dural*, Fiddletown, Forest Glen, Galston, Glenhaven*, Glenorie, Hornsby*, Hornsby Heights, Laughtondale, Maroota, Middle Dural, Mt Colah, Mt Kuring-gai, Singletons Mill, Wahroonga*, Waitara*, Wiseman’s Ferry.
* These suburbs are split by the ward boundary so are listed under two different wards.
Cr Wendy McMurdo
Address: c/- Hornsby Shire Council, PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630
Phone: (02) 9847 6666
Mobile: 0438 777 518
Fax: (02) 9847 6909
Email: wmcmurdo@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Wendy McMurdo was elected as a Greens representative to Hornsby Council in March 2004. As a member of the NSW Greens, she supports the principles of social justice and equity, ecological sustainability and grassroots democracy.
Since her election Wendy has promoted strong links between the community and Council, and strongly supported Council’s sustainability initiatives, in particular through her work on the Bushland Management Advisory Committee, and as a member of the Sustainable Action Committee. She also represents Hornsby residents on the Sydney Coastal Councils Group.
Wendy looks forward to continuing to work closely with the community, particularly on issues of sustainability and climate change adaptation.
Cr Steve Russell
Address: c/- Hornsby Shire Council, PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630
Phone: (02) 9847 6666
Mobile: 0409 735 313
Fax: (02) 9847 6909
Email: srussell@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Steve Russell has lived in and around Hornsby Shire for over 30 years and is employed in a senior managerial role after selling his business of 26 years in 2000. He was elected to Hornsby Council in 1999 and served until 2004. During his earlier time on Council he was instrumental in having the septic tank licence fee abolished. He lobbied Sydney Water to have Galston, Glenorie, Brooklyn and Cowan moved up their priority lists for connection to mains sewerage. Brooklyn is now completed but Galston, Glenorie and Cowan have slipped back down the list. He vows to continue this fight.
Steve is a great advocate for the rural area and the many sporting clubs in the shire. He believes there is an urgent need for workable plans for Hornsby Westside and Berowra Pool and will work toward developing them.
Cr Mick Smart
Address: c/- Hornsby Shire Council, PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630
Phone: (02) 9847 6666
Mobile: 0428 645 709
Fax: (02) 9847 6909
Email: msmart@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Mick Smart has lived in the Hornsby Shire for the over 18 years. He and his wife, Helen, live in Berowra Heights with their two sons. Mick has run Berowra’s Pool Shop since 2001 and has been an active member of Apex. In recent years he has been involved in the running of the Berowra Woodchop, one of the shire’s major annual events.
Mick chose to run for Council to improve facilities within the shire. He is looking to work with residents and Council to develop real solutions to the community’s problems. He believes it is possible to make achievable goals and see them through. Mick believes his experience in the Pool Industry will be of great benefit in seeing Council deliver a pool for Berowra.
Ward B
Ward B suburbs include Asquith*, Castle Hill,* Cherrybrook*, Dural*, Glenhaven*, Hornsby*, Normanhurst*, Pennant Hills*, Thornleigh*, Wahroonga*, Waitara*, Westleigh.
* These suburbs are split by the ward boundary so are listed under two different wards.
Cr Dilip Chopra
Address: c/- Hornsby Shire Council, PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630
Phone: (02) 9847 6666
Mobile: 0466 008 373
Fax: (02) 9847 6909
Email: dchopra@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Dilip Chopra was born and educated in Delhi before working as a gemologist. He arrived in Australia in 1988 and has lived in Hornsby since 2001.
Dilip is the joint treasurer of the United Indian Association (UIA), vice-president elect of the Hornsby Indian Seniors Group and is a committee member of the Hornsby Shire Seniors Advisory Committee.
Dilip chose to run for Council to build on the hard work and achievements of the former Council. He believes Council should continue to support small business – a critical course of action in generating local employment. Dilip is a supporter of multiculturalism, which he believes greatly adds to the rich culture of the Hornsby Shire.
He also believes Council must continue to work with the community in meeting residential housing targets to ensure that the quality of life is preserved in Hornsby Shire.
Cr Steve Evans
Address: 10 Higgins Place, Westleigh NSW 2120
Phone: (02) 9484 9412
Mobile: 0438 777 520
Fax: (02) 9484 7911
Email: steveevans@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Steve Evans, a resident of Hornsby Shire for over 50 years, was elected as a Councillor in March 2004. He held the position of Deputy Mayor from March 2007 to September 2009. He currently resides in Westleigh.
Steve is a member of Hornsby and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cherrybrook Victory Christian Church and the Westleigh Progress Association.
Steve plans to continue to work for the best outcomes on major projects such as Hornsby Quarry, the Housing and Employment strategies and sensible development of Hornsby Westside. He will continue to pursue the maintenance of Council’s high level of sound financial management. He also supports and promotes water conservation and hopes to work towards a more transparent Council.
Cr Bruce Mills
Address: c/- Hornsby Shire Council, PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630
Phone: (02) 9847 6666
Mobile: 0466 008 374
Fax: (02) 9847 6909
Email: bmills@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Bruce Mills lives in Cherrybrook and is married with three children. Bruce holds degrees in Economics and Law, as well as a Master of Commerce, and has held a variety of senior management roles in multinational firms.
Bruce feels privileged to represent B Ward, which he sees as the economic engine of Hornsby Shire, given its mix of the Hornsby CBD, commercial areas and the road and rail transport interface between the rest of the metropolitan area and the northern approaches to Sydney.
Councillor Mills is looking forward to addressing the need of Hornsby Shire’s working families for an integrated housing, employment and local transport strategy that maximises the opportunities in B Ward for local jobs, delivers community recreation and sporting facilities, and encourages the establishment of sustainable transport solutions.
Ward C
Ward C suburbs include Beecroft, Carlingford, Cheltenham, Cherrybrook*, Eastwood, Epping, Normanhurst*, North Epping, Pennant Hills*, Thornleigh*, West Pennant Hills.
* These suburbs are split by the ward boundary so are listed under two different wards.
Cr Robert Browne
Address: PO Box 460, Pennant Hills NSW 1715
Phone: (02) 9847 6666
Mobile: 0434 568 828
Fax: (02) 9847 6909
Email: rbrowne@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Robert Browne was born locally and has lived in our shire for most of his life. He has lived in C Ward for over 25 years and has served our community in various capacities for more than 20 years. Robert was first elected to Council in 1999 and served as Mayor from 1999 to 2000.
During his time on Council, Robert has been an active chair and member of many important committees particularly in the areas of environment and sustainability, development, heritage, roads and transport, employment and infrastructure facilities.
Robert strongly believes in the development of a long term vision for our shire through greater emphasis on forward planning within the framework of a sustainable future. His priorities for this term are many but the most challenging include Council’s Housing and Employment Strategies, Hornsby Quarry, Pennant Hills Road and the planning for more community, cultural and sporting facilities.
Cr Michael Hutchence
Address: c/- Hornsby Shire Council, PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630
Phone: (02) 9847 6666
Mobile: 0466 008 375
Fax: (02) 9847 6909
Email: mhutchence@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Michael Hutchence has been a resident of Hornsby Shire for over 21 years. He has been educated locally in Carlingford and at Hornsby and is currently studying Business Management at Macquarie University.
After several years in the pharmaceutical industry, Michael chose to pursue his passion for technology and telecommunications by setting up an information technology and telecommunications consultancy business. This business is now successfully servicing clients around the country.
Having worked in business from a young age, Michael has developed the organisational and personal skills required to deal with multiple and complex tasks systematically and efficiently.
Michael’s sense of social responsibility is reflected in his desire to make a difference in local government by listening to what people want for their community and translating those wishes into action. Michael is looking forward to working with the team of Councillors and helping Hornsby Council to operate as an organisation that truly reflects the community it represents.
Cr Andrew Martin
Address: c/- Hornsby Shire Council, PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630
Phone: (02) 9847 6666
Mobile: 0466 008 376
Fax: (02) 9847 6909
Email: amartin@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Andrew Martin emigrated to Australia from the UK in 1996. In the UK he was involved with local community and environmental issues. He has recently moved to the Hornsby area and lives with his wife in Beecroft.
Andrew graduated from Swansea University in Wales in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science (Computer Science). He has spent 20 years working in the IT industry.
A member of the Greens NSW since 2000, Andrew currently works as the administrator of the party’s finances and membership.
Andrew’s priorities as a Councillor are to set clear boundaries for metropolitan areas, taking into account urban infrastructure (particularly public transport), quality of life, the unique topography of the Sydney Basin, the need to retain agricultural land and resist its redevelopment and the importance of localised food production. Andrew also recognises the importance of arts and music in the community and the role that Council can play in promoting them.
